The Ring of Eternity
by Terra Branford1
Summary: What if Snape was married? What would the relationship be like? Snape is sent on a mission to spy on the deatheaters and he has gone missing. His wife shows up at Hogwarts. A story of two people suffering through a marriage of convenience.
1. The Wedding

(This fanfiction is my first attempt at what the relationship

would be like if Snape was married. It has not yet been said whether or

not he is, but tell me what you think anyway!)

Ring of Eternity -1

Anaxarete Meliflua was lead down the aisle by her father,

looking like a perfect goddess. Her sleek black hair was done up in

elegant curls, with little glistening pearls woven throughout them.

Her silvery robes were made of the finest silk, and a small diamond eyed

silver serpent pendant hung from a delicate chain on her neck. Nothing

but the best could be expected at the wedding of a member of the House

of Meliflua. The whole family was there to observe the union of four

of the oldest Wizarding pure blood families, the Blacks, The Malfoys,

the Melifluas, and the Snapes. The Melifluas were related to the Blacks

by blood. Anaxerete's mother, Araminta, was Mrs. Black's cousin, and the Malfoys

were related to the blacks by marriage of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa

Black. Now the Snapes were entering the family tree through the Meliflua

line.

"You aren't nervous are you Ana?" asked her father.

She gave him a loathing glare. She knew her father did not care that

he was marrying her off to someone that hardly knew her... not to

mention poor compared to their standards. Severus Snape was not

her idea of a good match. The man was cold and uncaring about anything

but his studies. He was not in the least bit attractive, with his

hair that always looked unwashed and a nose that was too big for his face.

He would not be able to provide her with everything that she deserved

with his measly fortune.

"Not at all, father." she said angrily.

He sighed and shook his head. She had given him everything she had

last night on what she thought about the entire engagement.

"He may not be as rich as us, dearest but he is a Slytherin, and a

pureblood." he had said. "I will not marry you off to some mudblood

family."

So he would marry her off to this horrible man, who she could not even

look at without feeling nauseous.

Severus stood at the end of the aisle, dressed in green satin robes, and

his dark, usually unkempt hair was pulled back. The solemn expression

on his face was more of a funeral look, than a wedding look, and his

bride looked no different. This was a marraige of convenience for the

families, and neither bride nor groom showed the slightest sign of

affection at the sight of the other.

Mr. Meliflua released his daughter and offered her to Snape who took

her arm as if it was his expected duty. Anaxarete tensed and felt her

skin crawl at the feeling of his touch. It was an almost unbearable

feeling. She didn't think she would be able to live through the

wedding night.

His jaw clenched as he felt her recoil from his touch. He knew that

she did not love him, and he did not ever expect her to. He had to

admit she was very beautiful and quite intelligent. He had found her

very attractive, but he could not say he loved her.

He wanted to make this marriage bearable for them both, and to be honest

out of all the woman he had seen, she was definitely the most desirable,

if she didn't have such an aristocratic air about her. She seemed to

think him an unworthy candidate for her devotion, and this made him

aggravated.

"Severus Snape, do you take this woman, Anaxarete Meliflua, to be your

wife? To be a loving and loyal husband..." the wizard priest droned on.

Anaxarete's cold green eyes met his dark black ones and she scoffed at

the thought of him being a loving husband. She could care less if he

was loyal to her or not.

"...as long as you both shall live?"

Snape's eyes bored into her's. He could see the resentment in her eyes.

"I do." he said.

"And, Anaxarete Meliflua, do you take Severus Snape to be your husband?

To be a loving and loyal wife, to cherish and keep him in sickness and in health..."

She looked at him with venom in her eyes. She would never love this

man. How could she swear such a thing to him when she despised the very

sight of him?

"... you both shall live?"

There was a long unnerving silence between the man's words. Whispers

started around the room, and the priest started to repeat his words.

A flush crept across Snape's face and his eyes moved away to the opposite side

of the room.

"I do." she said flatly, a smirk creeping onto her face.

She was going to make it perfectly clear that she did not want

to be married to this man.

"Then... join your hands together... and repeat after me..."

The two looked at each other resentfully. Snape had to be the one to

take hers.

The vows were exchanged and the rings were given. She looked down at the

symbol if her damnation... her bond to him, making her his wife.

It was a small silver band shaped like a serpent eating its tail. Emerald

eyes sparkled back at her from the serpent's eyes.

It was a ring that symbolized eternity.

His was almost the same except his serpents had small rubies in the eyes.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife... "

She was now Mrs. Anaxarete Snape, and there was no going back. She

waited in stony silence for the next words, and felt the sickness coming back

to her. 


	2. Missing

The Ring of Eternity- 2

Dumbledore looked solemnly into the fireplace in his office,

his usually sparkling eyes were heavy with some heavy burden. McGonagall

looked just as troubled as him, and nervously paced the office.

"Albus... surely we should have heard from him by now?... You don't

think he was discovered do you?" she asked.

Dumbledore's expression became grave.

"I am not certain... but I hope that is not the case." he said.

McGonagall wrinkled her brow in frustration. No one had heard from

Snape at all since he had left on his mission for the Order over the

summer break. The members were all anxious to hear from him to find out

what the Dark Lord was planning. Dumbledore was worried about this

as well, however he also felt that if anything were to happen to Snape

that it would be his fault. That he was expecting too much from him.

He knew that Snape did this to redeem himself from his past actions as

a deatheater. He was still trying to prove himself to him. It grieved Dumbledore to think

that he might be asking too much for one man.

" What if he isn't back or even heard from before classes begin?" she

asked.

Dumbledore sighed.

"I will start looking for a substitute, but I will tell them it

is only temporary. I am sure he is just being held up, and will

contact us soon." he said.

McGonagall looked at him.

" I am concerned that he will not be able to hide his true

purpose to going back to them for long."

Dumbledore nodded.

"I know, Minerva... I have been thinking that myself... but he knows

very well what the risks are, and he assured me that he was willing

to take those risks for the Order," he said. "Even if it meant his death."

Dumbledore sat down in his chair and rubbed his temples.

"I will wait for a message from him, and try to reach him on the mirror again."

he said.

McGonagall nodded.

"I will also try, Albus... it is just unlike him to not at least drop

some kind of hint as to what is happening."

Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm sure we will hear from him soon... it is also not like Voldemort

to keep quite if he has done anything to a member of the Order." he said.

McGonagall shuddered at hearing his name, and the very thought of what

the Dark Lord would do if he ever found out that Snape was not loyal to

him after all.

"Let us hope so, Albus." she said. 


	3. The Start of Term Feast

Ring of Eternity- 3

As the weeks went by Dumbledore's worst fears seemed to be confirmed. The start of term was approaching the following morning and not an owl or even a word from Snape had been heard.

The start of term feast was about to begin and Dumbledore sat gravely at the front, looking much older than he had in months.

Harry noticed this as he sat down at the Gryffindor table with Ron and Hermione.  
He had not had a very good summer himself, thinking about Sirius. He usually looked forward to returning to Hogwarts, but this year was different. This year Voldemort was back in his full power, and he was only getting stronger.

The first years were being sorted one by one as Harry waited patiently for the food to appear.

Ron squinted across the room at the staff table.  
"Hey, Harry... look over there... that must be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." he said happily. The previous one, Dolores Umbridge, had been nothing but trouble for Hogwarts, and everyone was happy to see her go.

Harry looked over and noticed the younger man with long black hair, pulled back into a ponytail. He reminded Harry a lot of Bill, and he hoped that that wasn't more than just looks.

Hermione frowned.  
"But wait... there are two new teachers up there. Do you see the witch in purple?" she asked.  
Harry looked over in her direction and was surprised to see that she was right.

"Where is Professor Snape?" she asked.  
Harry felt an odd sensation fall over him. Snape was gone?

"Really? He's not there? Oh finally!" said Ron happily.

Hermione frowned.  
"Ron! How can you say that? What if something happened to him?" she said.

Ron frowned.  
"You always ruin the moment Hermione. Can't you just be happy for a little,  
and then worry about him later?"

Harry didn't know whether or not he was happy that Snape was gone or not.  
Dumbledore had probably had him do something for the Order this year,  
and he was still gone. Hagrid had done the same thing the previous year.

"Well, wherever he is I hope he stays busy. i for one will enjoy Potions a lot more without him prowling about." said Ron.

The Slytherins seemed to notice the absence of their Head of House, and where whispering among themselves.

Dumbledore stood up and forced a smile on his lips, holding up his hands for silence.  
The great hall fell silent.

Harry had not even realized that the last person had been sorted, and he quickly turned his attention to Dumbledore.

"Welcome students to another year at Hogwarts. For those of you who are new,  
I am your headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. This year we have had a few changes to our staff, Professor Eavesham, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," he said nodding to the man with the ponytail. "And Miss Leroux, who will be temporarily replacing Professor Snape in Potions. I expect that the Slytherins will all show her the same respect you showed Professor Snape." he said.

Malfoy frowned and muttered to Crabbe and Goyle. Harry could tell that Malfoy did not like the change.

Dumbledore continued on with his speech.  
"This year, will be an important year for us all. We must all help one another and make sure that we do not lose our sense of unity in this school"  
Harry felt his heart sink, as he realized that Dumbledore was preparing for the worst from Voldemort.  
"Remember that we may be very different, and we may belong to different houses,  
different backgrounds, different races, but we are all wizards and witches.  
We all must not forget that together we shall prevail, but separately we will fail"  
He said this and gave them a small smile.  
"Well... now that the serious stuff is over, let us eat." All the tables filled up with many different kinds of foods, and drinks.  
Harry watched Dumbledore sit back down in his chair, and momentarily their eyes met. 


	4. Shattered

Ring of Eternity - 4

Anaxarete swept up her long dark hair in a shining bun, letting a few delicate strands fall around her face. She smiled in the mirror at her reflection and stood, her long emerald robes swooshing gracefully around her. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. She hadn't had to deal with her miserable husband at all over the summer, since that fool Dumbledore was having him work over the summer. She did not care! He only seemed to be content when he was working. Severus Snape was an insufferable human being who loathed all and all loathed him. She had not spoken to her father since he had arranged her in this hellish marriage. If only she had stood up for herself! She deserved far better.

A muscular arm snaked around her waist and she felt a trail of kisses on her neck. She smiled contently and chuckled.

"Casius... I thought you were leaving." she said.  
The man chuckled and nuzzled her affectionately. "Why? Are you afraid that your husband will find us?" he smiled.  
She frowned and pulled away from him, her mood beginning to turn sour.  
"I told you to never mention him." she said poisonously.  
Casius sighed and ran his hands through his long blonde hair.  
"I'm sorry Ana... it's just that it.. bothers me. Why do you stay with him if you hate him so much"  
Anaxarete turned on him, her eyes gleaming angrily.  
"And what?! Live the life of a beggar?? My family does not care!" she hissed.  
Casius fell silent and pulled his nightrobes around him tighter.  
"Well... if divorce isn't an option... than why not just kill him"  
Anaxarete stood and stared in stony silence at him. He shifted uncomfortably under her cobra like stare. She began to laugh cruelly.  
"KILL him? Casius, my husband... you do not know him..." she continued to laugh and shake her head. "He cannot be killed"  
Casius frowned at her.  
"Anaxarete"  
She sat down on her seat, still laughing. Then slowly she began to weep.  
"No... I... oh, why?" she sobbed.  
Casius was completely taken aback by this change in her attitude.  
"Ana," he asked going over to her. "What's the matter? Why"  
But his gentleness only seemed to infuriate her more.  
"I have... I have tried..." she sobbed. "I hate him... but I cannot do anything about it! You do not understand... my family... No..." she said her body shaking with her sobs.  
The very idea of trying to kill Snape had passed through her mind many times, but she had only actually attempted it once... and he had caught her in the act.  
Caught her poisoning his drink... she should have known that he would know.

Snape's eyes narrowed with fury.  
"So... you mean to kill me do you? YOU UNGRATEFUL WHORE!" he bellowed.  
He threw the glass against the wall, where it shattered into a million tiny fragments on the floor.  
Anaxarete was frozen where she stood. She had never seen him this angry before. She held up her head defiantly and gave him a careless smirk.

"Whatever do you mean my dear husband? Don't you know how much I CARE about you?" she laughed.

Snape lunged at her and pinned her against the wall.  
She screamed out in fright, as he reached out to strike her, but he stopped.  
He lowered his arm and breathed rapidly like an angry animal.

"If... you ever... try to do anything like that again. I may not be the one who ends up dead." he hissed angrily.

The window behind her shattered, scattering broken fragments of glass all over the marble floor. A cold gust of wind filtered through the room, sweeping the curtains about like ghostly sheets.

She gasped frightened under his tight grip on her. He had thrown nothing.  
he had not cast any kind of spell... and no one had broken it from the outside.  
He had broken it with his fury... and only very powerful fury could produce such an reaction.

"Do you understand me, woman?" he hissed, his eyes boring daggers into her soul.  
Her hatred of him was written all over her face.  
His grip tightened on her as she remained silent.  
"I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" he said again more forcefully.  
"You bastard. You deserve far worse than anything I could do to you." she said.  
He pushed her hard to the floor, making her gasp in pain, as a shard of glass cut into the skin of her arm.  
He stood over her for a brief moment before sweeping out of the room. She quickly got to her feet, shaking with anger and defeat.

Casius leaned his head on her shoulder, trying to console her.

"Ana... I could kill him for you." he said.

Anaxarete lifted her tear streaked face up to his and shook her head.

"Don't be a fool! You couldn't kill anything if you wanted to." she said harshly.  
Casius looked hurt.  
"What do you mean"  
Anaxarete waved her hand angrily and shook her head.  
"Never mind! Just don't speak of him anymore"  
Casius nodded and sat down on the edge of her bed.  
Outside the window, a small brown owl was fluttering, clutching a heavy envelope made of yellow parchment. It flapped against the window, causing Anaxrete to turn around very rapidly.  
When she saw the little owl, she walked over to the window and opened it.  
The bird flew into the room, happy to have successfully found the owner, and it landed on the back of her chair, sticking it's foot out that had the heavy envelope attached to it.

Casius watched as Anaxarete opened the letter and scanned the contents.  
A dark smile crossed her lips as she read.  
Casius looked puzzled.  
"Perhaps, miracles do happen..." she said. 


	5. Mrs Anaxarete Meliflua Snape

I always love getting reviews! I also don't mind receiving editing help,  
so if you would like to send me spelling mistake information, or bad grammar corrections, please feel free to write to me at: KRISTAMDEAN at MSN or heirofslytherin03 at YAHOO (for some reason E-Mails don't show up right on here, but I'm sure you have figured that out by now)  
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Ring of Eternity - 5

Dumbledore watched the planets on his pocket watch spin slowly. His eyes traveled to the familiar red planet that was burning brightly out in the real sky outside.  
He set the watch aside and sighed, rubbing his temples. He took out a small silvery mirror, and examined it's smooth shiny surface.

"Severus..." he said, but nothing happened. He repeated the small plea for an answer but the glass refused to yield an answer to him. A small red face appeared in the reflection next to his own age lined face. Fawkes gave a few sad notes and rubbed its feathery head against his cheek.

Dumbledore smiled weakly and stroked the bird's feathers. As he was stroking the bird he stopped and thought for a moment.

"Fawkes... I have nowhere else to turn. I need you to do me this favor... if you cannot find him, then I fear the worst has happened to him.

Fawkes flapped his wings and blinked at him.

Dumbledore took a piece of parchment, and scrawled a quick note on it. He then rolled it up and tied it to Fawkes' foot.

"Make sure that Severus Snape receives this letter... and make sure I get a response back from him."

His eyes became sad as he finished tying the small knot.

"... If he is incapable of returning my letter, than you must let me know where he is." he said.

Fawkes sung a few uplifting notes to cheer his master, then he took off through the open widow.

Dumbledore watched Fawkes disappear into the darkness until he could no longer be seen. He slowly closed the window and sighed, feeling better that soon he would know what had happened to his former student and employee. There wasn't anyone in the world Fawkes couldn't find.

He walked back over to his desk, examining the large globe of the universe that he kept. It often came in handy when he wanted to know the placements of the planets, and the cycles of the moon.

A sharp wrap on the door sounded. He looked up from the globe and waited a second before the sound cut through the silent room again.

"You may enter." he said.

The door swung open and a dark haired woman swept into the room followed close by McGonagall.  
McGonagall looked very frustrated and was breathing hard from an obvious run to his office.  
"I'm sorry Albus, but she insisted on coming straight to you. She wouldn't even tell me who she was."

The woman sneered at her and walked over to Dumbledore, her green eyes shining.  
"I believe an introduction isn't necessary... after all I was once a student of the both of you"  
she said.  
Recognition dawned on Dumbledore's face and McGonagall's face remained puzzled.  
"Surely you don't expect us to remember the face of every student that came through here?" she sniffed.

"Miss Meliflua... or Mrs. Snape I should say... then you received my letter." he said solemnly.  
A look of shock appeared on McGonagall's face.  
"Snape? She is Professor Snape's wife?"

Anaxarete frowned at her.

"Miss Meliflua, please..." she said. Then she turned to Dumbledore, smiling a very unfriendly and fake smile.  
"So... is it true? Do you think my husband dead?"

Dumbledore looked troubled at her reaction to her married name, and the casual tone she used about her husband possibly being dead.

"Anaxarete... I'm sure that you have been most worried... but I want to let you know that there is still hope. I sent a very trustworthy source out to search for your husband." he said.

Anaxarete's eyes narrowed as she studied both McGonagall and Dumbledore.  
"How long has he been missing?" she asked.  
"About almost three months now." said Dumbledore.  
A small smile crept across her features.  
"Have you alerted the Ministry of his disappearance?" she asked.  
"No... only a few... for your husband is... involved in a very complicated business, that I cannot describe to you now. It would jeopardize him if word got about." he said. " I have people on the alert that are searching for him as we speak"  
Anaxarete paced around the room thinking to herself. McGonagall watched her, eyeing her with an unspoken dislike.  
"And... how long will these people continue to look for him?" she asked.  
"As long as it takes... hopefully we will be successful." he said.  
Anaxarete threw up her hands and let them drop to her sides.  
"It is not-unlike my husband to disappear for long periods of time without telling anyone. You are probably wasting your time... my husband is most un-thoughtful sometimes."

McGonagall's eyes glowed with anger.

"He would not under these circumstances! These are dangerous times! Aren't you concerned of the possibility that he might be in danger?" she said.

Anaxarete glared at her, clenching her fists.

"Of course it concerns me... but I know him. I know what he's like. He keeps secrets, and he tells no one.  
He does not always think before he acts." she said.

McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"I also know him. I was his teacher for seven years and his colleague for fourteen." she said.  
Dumbledore steeped between the two woman to prevent the argument from going any further.

"Whether or not anything has happened to him, I still feel it best to check up on him. Let us hope that it is something as minor as being wrapped up in his mission." he said.

Anaxarete's eyes met McGonagall's and the two glared at each other in silence.

"Yes... let us hope so." said Anaxarete. 


	6. The Nightmare

Ring of Eternity - 6

Harry was sleeping in his four poster bed in the Gryffindor tower, but he wasn't sleeping very well. He was sweating and groaning in his sleep.

Evil laughter was filling his head, and his scar began to burn with an agonizing pain.

He cried out in his sleep causing Ron and Neville to stir in their own beds. None of them had waken though.

A nightmarish vision crept into his head as a dark forest appeared out of a foggy mist. He shivered as a long forgotten cemetery appeared in the dense woods. His memories of Cedric dying in the graveyard came back to him and he cried out again, wishing the image to go away. But it did not.  
This graveyard, however was not the one that Cedric had met his fate in.  
This one was different.

Harry gingerly stepped forward, careful not to make any kind of noise. He was afraid that it might bring something awful.

His breath came in clouds and he shivered with the cold. He approached one of the headstones, one that was not so old looking as the rest, but still had been there some time. The engraving on it read Regulus Black.

Harry went pale and touched the stone as if to make sure it was real.  
He had barely just touched it before he felt the ground beneath him disappear.  
The world started to spin. He felt as though he was going to vomit... it felt like the portkey to the World Cup, but much worse.

He was flung roughly onto a hard marble floor, and he heard the sharp crack of his glasses breaking on the floor.  
He reached out to pick them up and gingerly put them back on his face. There was a large spider web crack on his left lens. He rummaged around in his robes for his wand but only found that his pockets where empty.

Fear tugged at his heart, knowing that he was in an unfamiliar place without his wand.  
Where had the headstone taken him?

He looked around him and his eyes widened as he noticed that he was in a very large room similar to an old ballroom. A large chandelier loomed far above on a ceiling that was painted with horrid images of demons and creatures. There were candles lit throughout the room with green flames, casting a eerie glow about the spacious room.

There was a large statue of a serpent looming out of the wall on the far side, with green torches lit around it. The serpent had gigantic rubies in its eye sockets, and its long sliver tongue was stuck out as if trying to smell him.

A sharp cry echoed across the room, startling Harry. He spun around the room looking for what had made the sound.

Another cry pierced the silence again, but this time it grew louder and lasted much longer.  
The hair on his arms pricked up in fright and a cold voice pierced the air alongside the pained cries.

"It's good to see that you actually can feel pain. Sometimes I wondered"  
There was a brief silence except for the sound of labored breathing.  
"It's been three months... haven't you had enough? You're bound to go mad if you don't give in... wouldn't that be worse for you than death?"

Harry had known who was talking before he even saw him. Voldemort was in the room, and he was torturing someone.

They materialized in front of the serpent statue, but there were more than just the two people present. Four other dark figures materialized on the sidelines, watching.

The victim was bound to the throat of the serpent, and was very pale and thin.  
He looked as though he had gone quite a long time without a decent meal, and his robes were tattered and stained with dark spots of dried blood. His long hair was tangled and matted with blood.

Voldemort approached the man and twirled his wand in his hand slowly.

"Come now, Severus... I know you fear that most of all... imagine... being trapped inside of yourself... and not being able to get out... having people constantly watch you because you can't take care of yourself."

Harry's eyes widened in fear as he realized that the man was indeed Professor Snape. He was almost unrecognizable after three months of this horrible treatment.

The usual haughtiness that he wore on his face was gone, and his eyes lacked their usual glare... there was emptiness and defeat in them now.

"No, then? Well if you insist..." laughed Voldemort.

"CRUCIO!"

Harry cried out and woke up shaking, his body covered in a cold sweat.

Harry's cry awoke Ron, and he stumbled sleepily out of his bed.

"Huh... wha... Harry? Are you ok?" he asked.

Harry shook as Ron opened the curtains around his bed.

Dean, Seamus and Neville were staring at him from their beds.

"Harry, what's wrong?" asked Ron, his eyes wide with worry.

"I saw him..." stammered Harry.

The three boys stared at Harry.

"You saw You-know-who?" asked Seamus.

"Yes... and he's got Snape." said Harry. 


	7. A Window to his Soul

Ring of Eternity- 7 Anaxarete laughed out loud as she entered her home again, tossing her traveling cloak on the coat rack. She couldn't believe that fool had actually lost track of Snape! She couldn't help but think that maybe that was the one thing in the world she could thank the old geezer for.

She walked about the house, feeling a new sense of happiness at being there.  
Before she had always viewed this home as Snape's but now he might not ever come back to live in it... and she would be the poor widow left with his meager fortune. That was no matter. She could re-marry, and she would not have broken the bond her family had set in the marriage. She knew they had no emotional attachment to him, and had only been interested in seeing her married off to a well respected pureblood, and to make it better, he was favored by the Dark Lord himself. She had always hated him, and he had known it every day he had been around her. His humiliation had been a great triumph for her when she had refused him on their wedding night, and had even refused to be in the same room with him. He had never tried again after that night. The Snape family line would end with him.

She immediately began to examine the living room, knowing that soon she would be able to erase every trace of his existence in the house. She would be able to start all over again. No one to answer to, no more piercing black eyes and sharp tongue. She would be able to find a man who could love her, and who she could love in return.

She walked up the flight of stares, and headed for her bedroom, when she passed by his.  
She stopped in front of it and stared at the door. She knew that he probably kept it locked at all times, but she had never found out. She had never had a reason to step foot in his room. Something in her decided to go inside, and see what exactly he had left in there. Surely all his important things were still at the school, since he had not even come home for the end of term.

She crept up to the door and slowly turned the handle, which surprisingly opened. She raised an eyebrow, wondering why he would make such a careless mistake... or maybe he had assumed that she would never go in there.

She slowly opened the door and shuffled into the room. The room was dark, and the heavy dark curtains were drawn tightly shut, so as not to allow any sort of light to enter.

"He lives like a vampire." she chuckled to herself.

The room was one of the most under decorated rooms in the house. A four poster bed was in the middle of the room. In the corner there was a bookshelf that only had a few leather-bound books sitting on its shelves.

Next to the bed there was a small black nightstand with an aged lunar almanac laying on its side.

Anaxarete walked over to the nightstand and reached for the serpent headed knob on the drawer.  
She opened it and peered into it. There was a small black leather book sitting in the bottom of the drawer.

She reached in and drew it up, but as she lifted it out into the open, something fell out from between the pages.

She wrinkled her brow, and reached down into the drawer.

It was a photo from their wedding. She studied the picture with a look of disgust. She looked absolutely as miserable in the picture as she had felt that day. He was also in the picture, but he kept looking away from her to something happening out of the frame.  
She opened up the small book and saw that there were dry rose petals preserved between the pages.  
They had been the ones that had been at the ceremony. They were now shriveled and dried up, lacking any of their former beauty... just like their marriage.

She quickly shoved the picture back into the book and threw it back into the drawer. She began to feel that she had been in this room far too long... it reminded her too much of him. Cold, dark and empty.  
She quickly made her way out of the room and locked the door. She would not be going back in there ever again. 


	8. Dying Hope

Thanks for your reviews! I try to keep updating more often now, but sometimes I get stuck on ideas. I'm also feeling bad for being so mean to Snape ;) Anyway, I am always open for advice or criticism. (I want you to hate Anaxarete... is it working yet? evil grins)

Ring of Eternity - 8

Snape felt like his head weighed a ton, as he lifted it up too look about him.  
He must have blacked out, he thought shamefully. His body was weak, and losing the strength he desperately needed to get through each day alive. He felt like he had aged ten years, and that he was coming down with something. Surely the loss of blood, lack of food, and lack of sleep were the main causes of this. They had made sure he lived this long by forcing ghastly tasting liquids down his throat.

He wished desperately that he could find a way to escape from here, or just for them to let him die. He knew the Dark Lord would not let him off that easily.

Deep in the back of his mind he still had hope that Dumbledore would find him, but he also knew that in doing so, that might mean him falling into a trap. The Dark Lord was keeping him alive for a reason, far deeper than just to torment him for his betrayal. He knew that he was hoping to take out more of the Order, when they would try and come find their spy.

A wave of nausea washed through him, as he heard distant footsteps approaching.  
He cringed thinking that he should pretend to still be unconscious and spare himself a couple more hours agony.

He was surprised to see that the person entering the room was not the Dark Lord, but Lucius Malfoy.  
Last he had heard Lucius was in Azkaban... so that must mean that there were more breakouts occurring.

Lucius' long blonde hair seemed to glow in the greenish light of the room, and his sharp blue eyes studied Snape.

"My... my... Severus, what in the world has brought you to such a pathetic state? Living at Hogwarts must have turned your mind to mush." he said.

Snape's eyes momentarily got back their old poison, but before he could respond a horrible cough racked his entire body. Sprits of blood appeared on the marble floor below.

Lucius looked down at them and shook his head, clicking his tongue.  
"I doubt that you will last much longer in your condition. You are becoming ill..." he said.  
"I'm so glad you noticed." sneered Snape.  
Lucius raised an eyebrow and shook a finger at him as if he were a misbehaving child.  
"Apparently he isn't doing it right if you still have enough nerve to sass," he said. "You aren't exactly in the best position to be talking back to me"  
"Go to hell." he spat.  
Lucius' face flushed with anger.  
"How dare you speak that way to me! You forget that I am also quite skilled with the art of torture"  
he hissed pulling out his wand.

"Calm yourself, Lucius... you will have your chance. For now it is I who deals out the punishments"  
said Voldmort entering the room.

Snape felt his heart cringe up with fear, but his expression remained stoic and defiant.  
Voldemort chuckled, walking up to Snape and pulling his chin up to force him to look into those horrible snake-like red eyes.

"It appears you have re-awakened the arrogance in our old friend, Lucius."

Snape couldn't bare the feel of the Dark Lord's cold, inhuman touch. His skin crawled and his stomach turned with nausea.

"Are you still too proud to beg me?" he asked.  
Snape involuntarily shuddered, knowing what would come next.  
Voldemort laughed and tightened his grip.  
"Do I frighten you, Severus?" he asked.  
Lucius watched the Dark Lord with a small smirk.  
"Would you beg me to spare, your beloved, Potter?" he laughed.  
Snape's eyes widened at the mention of Potter's name.  
"No... I do not have him... but that is only for the time being." he said darkly.  
Snape felt a queasy sensation when he realized that he was going to be used as bait for Potter. His Occlumency lessons had been a miserable failure, and he knew that if Voldemort wished it, he would let Harry see what was happening to him. He didn't know if he could bare it if he was to blame for Potter's death, despite his dislike for the boy.  
The image of young Harry being picked on by some very large boy, and being chased up a tree by an ugly dog, kept coming back into his head. 


	9. Dumbledore's Office

Ring of Eternity - 9

Harry pulled his robes tighter around him as he swiftly made his way through the dark empty hallways of Hogwarts. Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville had wanted to go with him, but Harry had insisted that he go alone. He did not like admitting that he could see and sometimes feel what Voldemort was thinking, but he certainly did not want a whole parade following him down the hallways.

The hallways always seemed so much longer when you were in a hurry to get somewhere.  
He stopped for a minute leaning against the wall to think.

"What if this was another attempt to lure him? What if Snape was not in any trouble at all? He remembered the mirror he had forgotten to use, and wondered if he should go back and try it. But surely Dumbledore had one also? Dumbledore had not been there to ask about Sirius last year. He took a deep breath and continued down the hallway, deciding it best that Dumbledore should know... after all it had saved Mr. Weasley's life.

Harry suddenly felt something hit his leg, and he tripped over it, hitting the ground hard.  
The thing he had tripped over hissed and spat angrily. Mrs. Norris scampered off down the hallway, still hissing.

"On no." said Harry, quickly getting up and beginning to run down the hallway. He did not feel like explaining to Filtch why he was up this late at night wandering the corridors. He wished he would have remembered his invisibility cloak.

He heard hurried footsteps behind him. He panicked and tried to take a sharp turn, running straight into something.

McGonagall grabbed him by the shoulder to prevent him from falling over.

"Mr. Potter! What in the world are you doing out of bed?" she said.  
Her eyes were narrowed with suspicion.  
"Professor... I"  
"Oh good... you caught the little sneak. Going about causing trouble, eh, Potter?" said Fitch, rounding the corner.  
"I can handle this, Argus..." she said firmly.  
"Professor... I HAVE to speak to Dumbledore!" said Harry, his voice rising with urgency.  
"Can't it wait till the morning, Potter?" she said.  
"No... it can't!" he said.  
"Probably just making excuses... he had no intention of going to see Dumbledore," said Filtch.  
"Instead, he is going around hurting my cat! Poor Mrs. Norris..." he said.  
"What did you do to Mrs. Norris?" asked McGonagall sounding surprised.

Harry sighed irritably. Were they seriously more interested in punishing him for tripping over a cat?

"I saw SNAPE. I need to speak to Dumbledore!" he shouted.  
McGonagall paled, and grabbed onto his shoulder again.

"You saw Se... Professor Snape? Where is he?" she asked.

Harry immediately felt stupid. How was he supposed to explain that he didn't know where he was?

"He's... umm..."

Filtch frowned.

"You see Professor, he's making up stories. He never saw Professor Snape."

"Yes I did! If you don't let me see Dumbledore..."

"What is all this fuss about?" asked Dumbledore, stepping out from behind the statue guarding his office.

"Professor Dumbledore... I need to talk to you!" said Harry.

"This student was caught sneaking around the corridors." hissed Filtch.

"He claims, that he has seen, Severus." said McGonagall.

Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"Is this true Harry? You saw Professor Snape?"

"Yes, sir... I did. But... he's in trouble..." he said.

"I see... " he said.

Dumbledore turned around and motioned Harry to follow him.

McGonagall and Filtch followed them into his office. Filtch seemed hopeful that he would get to deal out a punishment.

Harry wished that they would be asked to leave. He felt uncomfortable telling them about what he had seen.

Dumbledore pulled up a chair and motioned for Harry to sit down. He took a seat at his desk across from him. Harry looked around the room expecting to see Fawkes, but he saw no sign of the phoenix.

McGonagall and Filtch remained in the room, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Where did you see him Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in the lare chair.

"Voldemort has him. I... was sleeping, and I saw them."

"The boy comes here to tell you he had a nightmare?" scoffed Filtch.

"Please, Argus... " said Dumbledore warningly.

Filtch glared at him, but remained silent.

"What did you see Harry?" he asked.

Harry looked down at the floor.

"I saw them. Voldemort and Snape. Voldemort was asking him to give in to something... he was threatening to make him go mad. He was torturing him... I could barely recognize him"  
said Harry.

McGonagall covered her mouth, and Filtch looked confused.

"What's he blabbering about?" demanded Filtch.

"Where where they, Harry?" asked Dumbledore standing.

"I don't know... It was a large room... it looked like a ballroom. It had green candles and a large statue of a serpent in it." he said.

Dumbledore looked anxious.

"Is that all you saw?" he asked.

"Well at first I was in a graveyard. I touched a tombstone and I ended up in the room." he said.

Dumbledore looked concerned, and wrinkled his brow in frustration.

"A tombstone?" he asked.

"Yes... it was Regulus Black's... I don't know what he has to do with the dream, but that is what it said.

Dumbledore looked up at McGonagal who still had her hand covering her mouth. She slowly lowered her hand and looked at him, tears shining in her eyes.

"Dumbledore... this is what happened last year with..." she glanced at Harry worriedly then continued.  
"What if this is another trap?"

Dumbledore shook his head.

"It may very well be one, but Severus is not answering through the mirror. Sirius did."

Filtch looked even more confused.

"Are you saying that You-Know-Who has Professor Snape, and Potter here can see them?"

He looked at Harry as if he were some kind of freak.

"Argus... I think it best that you go and make sure that no other students are out of bed." he said.

Filtch frowned, looking at them all suspiciously. He shook his head muttering to himself about nutters and walked out the door. 


	10. Harry's Predicament

Ring of Eternity - 10

Harry felt a deep sickness rising in the pit of his stomach as he sat in Dumbledore's office with McGonagal. Dumbledore had left to gather a few members of the Order to question them on the location Harry had described to them.

McGonagal paced the room, every now and then shaking her head. Harry couldn't help but feel a bit angry at them. They were still trying to treat him like a little boy... one who must be sheltered from harm. They would not let him try and help, even though he would probably be the only one able to recognize the location if they happened to wander into the area.

"Professor... someone has to know where Regulus Black is burried. I'm sure that if they knew that, we could find out the location.

McGonagal sighed and nodded.

"I thought so too, Potter. Dumbledore will probably send a few people out to the Black Family's cemetery to see if somehow the stone is a portkey..."

Harry felt a cold sickness in him. Was Voldemort trying to lead him into a trap? If he was, was it because he knew that Harry would tell Dumbledore, or was it because he thought Harry actually cared for Snape? Harry had to admit he did not like Snape, but he certainly didn't think he deserved anything as harsh as what he had seen. Voldemort knew that Harry would want to do something... even if he didn't care for him. 


	11. The Black Family Graveyard

Ring of Eternity- Chapter 11 

Any muggle who might have been passing by the old Black Mansion... might have found it strange that three full grown men were wandering around the amongst a graveyard in the dead of night. Of course, no muggle would have been able to see them, because the house was enchanted. Passersby would look right past it as if it was not even there.  
Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Alaster Moody happened to be those men.  
They had divided up so they could find the right headstone faster. The Graveyard was very large, and surrounded by a black cast iron gate. The grass looked like it hadn't been tended too in many years, and was overgrown with many clumps of dead yellow grass throughout it.  
Moody grumbled as he stumped through the grass.  
"Just like them to have a cemetery as big as a Quidditch Field! Always had to have the best of everything... even when they were dead."  
Lupin sighed.  
"It's here somewhere. Just keep looking"  
Lupin almost expected to find Sirius' headstone amongst the many diseased Blacks, but of course he knew that Sirius had absolutely refused to be considered one of the family. He so hated the majority of his family that he eventalked ofchanging his name back when he was in school. But they had all laughed about that back then.  
It saddened Lupin to think of his lost best friend. It was still hard to believe that he was gone. Just like when they had lost James... and when he thought that Sirius had killed Peter. Peter was now the enemy, however.

"I found it!" shouted Kingsley waving to Lupin and Moody.  
The three of them gathered around the old tombstone of Sirius' late brother Regulus.  
No grass seemed capable of growing over it. Only slivers of dead, yellow grass just barely surfaced out of the rocky dirt.

Moody looked at the two of them.  
"Well... now that we have found it... what's the plan? If it is a portkey we will probably end up somewhere right in the middle of a swarm of Deatheaters," he said. "Or there is a possibility that it no longer works. It could have been disabled by now."  
Lupin nodded.  
"That is possible. That is why I think, if it does work, one of us should stay behind. We should not sacrifice all of us incase something goes horrible wrong. We will need Dumbledore and the others to know where to go."

Kingsly nodded in agreement.

"Well I don't want to sit out here in a cemetery all night, so we best decide quickly." said Moody, moving his large blue eye to Lupin and then to Kingsly.


End file.
